Help! Constipation when in hospital

[glasshalfsomething]

Haven’t opened my bowels in 6 days. Currently in hospital for tests and blood transfusions but sitting on the toilet is so painful. I feel like I’m going to pass a log and can’t ‘push’ through the pain to get it out.

They’re giving me laxatives but I think it’s too late. Doc isn’t available at the moment.

what’s next? Do I need an enema? Are they painful?

Poor you, I know how this feels. Ask the nurse for a glycerin suppository, or get a visitor to bring some in. (You can buy them over the counter).

cant you walk?
or at least exercise in some way?
are you drinking plenty of fluids?
dried fruit/prunes

Barely walking due to pain, eating an drinking all the right things. Trying to stretch etc

Get someone to bring you a can of prunes.

That sounds horrible. Make a big fuss or get your visitors to make a big fuss. They must be equipped to help you in a hospital, even at the weekend. You poor thing.

Ask if you're able to have something like bisacodyl (either as tablet or suppository). Will depend on what you're in for. If you can have it, ask for a commode as well!

Thanks all, they’re going to do an enema, which sounds truly disgusting but I’m at the point of no dignity

hope that will bring relief

I had to have a enema recently and obviously it's not ideal but also wasnt painful at all. The nurses gave me the choice of doing it myself or them doing it but i had to ask them in the end as i struggled to get it past my piles. 😳

It's not nice but if you're in pain i bet you'll be glad of it. Good luck x

The relief will be worth it and I second glycerin suppositories, they really work very well.

I’m sorted! Hardly pain free but the relief was worth it. Thanks for the advice, distraction and wise words which I’ll take into account in future!